Bust of Winston Churchill removed by Obama back in the Oval Office as President Donald Trump gets to work scrapping predecessor’s legacy – signing order to ‘ease to burden’ of Obamacare and wiping climate change and gay rights from White House website

Donald Trump signs his first orders after being sworn in as the 45th President of the United States

By JENNIFER HALE

21st January 2017, 9:22 am

Updated: 22nd January 2017, 7:40 am

DONALD Trump has set to work as the 45th President of the United States - under the watchful eye of a bust of Sir Winston Churchill that his predecessor Barack Obama had removed.

It also outlined how the Trump administration will “take advantage of the estimated $50 trillion in untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves, especially those on federal lands that the American people own.”

He was under the watchful eye of Sir Winston Churchill, after a bust of the leader was returned to the White House at the request of Trump.

The sculpture first appeared in the Oval Office during former George W Bush's administration, but was replaced by a bust of civil rights champion Martin Luther King Jr during Barack Obama's presidency.

Since then, it has been kept at the British Embassy in Washington DC.

Donald Trump signs in as President after inauguration ceremony

AP:Associated Press

Donald Trump signs his first executive order on healthcare

AP:Associated Press

He has since been enjoying several inauguration balls with festivities continuing over the weekend

However, Churchill's grandson, a Tory MP for Mid Sussex, seemed less than impressed with the new president.

Just hours after the bust was back in the Oval Office Nicholas Soames tweeted: " 'Almost unbelievable speech by The President without grace or magnanimity' #Goddefendtheright"

Trump’s closest advisers Jared Kushner and Steven Bannon relayed the request for the bust’s return after revealing their boss was a big fan of the legendary Tory, and had even read Boris’s biography of him.

The gesture marks a diplomatic coup for the PM in her bid to win influence over the unpredictable new US leader.

A bitter row over the bust’s location has raged for seven years since outgoing President Barack Obama replaced the wartime leader’s image with one of Martin Luther King in 2009.

Reports of Churchill's removal prompted protests from British figures including Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who in turn was criticised when he blamed the swap on Mr Obama's "ancestral dislike of the British empire".

EPA

Trump was sworn in yesterday as the 45th President of the United States

He explained at the time: "When I was elected as president of the United States, my predecessor had kept a Churchill bust in the oval office.

"There are only so many tables where you can put busts otherwise it starts looking a little cluttered.

"And I thought it was appropriate and I suspect that most people here in the United Kingdom might agree, that as the first African-American president, it might be appropriate to have a bust of Dr Martin Luther King in my office to remind me of all the hard work of a lot of people who would somehow allow me to have the privilege of holding this office."

After meeting Mr Trump in November, former Ukip leader Nigel Farage said he was "especially pleased at his very positive reaction to the idea that Sir Winston Churchill's bust should be put back in the Oval Office".

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania take part in inaugural parade

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